Questions over the reliability of Snickometer technology resurfaced on day two of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, leaving both England and Australia frustrated after a series of confusing decisions surrounding Jamie Smith’s dismissal.
The controversy began when Australia were convinced they had Smith caught off the glove while he was on 16. Smith insisted the ball had struck only his helmet, and despite doubts over whether the slip catch had carried cleanly, the on-field decision of not out was upheld after Snicko appeared to show no clear edge.
Australia’s displeasure was audible. Mitchell Starc, picked up by the stump microphone, delivered a blunt assessment of the technology.
“Snicko needs to be sacked. That’s the worst technology there is,” Starc said.
“They made a mistake the other day and they’ve made another one today.”
Marnus Labuschagne also appeared unconvinced by the sequence of events, making light of the concussion check Smith was required to undergo, further underlining Australia’s belief that the ball had not struck the helmet at all.
The uncertainty deepened moments later when Smith was eventually given out caught behind attempting to pull Pat Cummins. Australia were confident of an edge, while Smith looked equally convinced of his innocence. The situation was muddied further when umpire Nitin Menon called for a TV review himself after initially declining to give a decision.
When the dismissal was finally confirmed, questions persisted as the replay again appeared to show a timing issue, with the audio spike occurring a frame earlier than expected. Smith reacted in disbelief, arms raised in surprise, as debate around the technology intensified.
Former England spinner Graeme Swann was among those to voice strong criticism, expressing frustration at what he saw as inconsistency in decision-making.
“I don’t want to sound like a whingeing Pom, but it feels like one rule for one and another for someone else,” Swann said on TNT Sport.
“Throw Snicko away — it’s nonsense.”
The episode added another layer of tension to an already fiercely contested Ashes series, with the spotlight once again firmly on the role and reliability of technology in the modern game.
